


TLC à la Hancock

by AlsyWalsy



Category: Fallout 4
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-27
Updated: 2016-01-27
Packaged: 2018-05-16 12:12:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,472
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5828086
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AlsyWalsy/pseuds/AlsyWalsy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Nora comes back with earth-shattering news and Hancock immediately goes into caring boyfriend mode. In his own special way. Game spoilers inside, so be warned.</p>
            </blockquote>





	TLC à la Hancock

**Author's Note:**

> I became obsessed with Fallout 4 (my first Fallout game) a few weeks ago and I have not stopped playing since I got it. I am Hancock obsessed, to boot. I have had several ideas floating around in my head for a few days and finally wrote one down. So I hope its all right and I hope to post some other ones!

Sanctuary was a surprisingly small place when one couldn’t stop moving. He had tried to sit down, but he wasn’t really built for sitting still, even on a good day. So he walked. And he must have circled the entire place 20 times by now. He’d lost count not long before the sun had set. Preston had tried to walk with him at one point, tried to coax him out of silence and into nice polite conversation. He’d barely managed two words. He was too on edge.

Hancock growled as he stopped his pacing to fetch another cigarette from the packet in his pocket. He had nothing harder on him and that was probably a good thing. Mama Murphy had tried to sneak him some jet but the last thing he wanted was to prolong this hell, no matter how much it might calm him.

Where the hell was she?

Nora had disappeared through that damned teleporter nearly.. four hours ago. Four hours of not knowing if it worked, if she made it, if she was even able to return.  He skulked between two houses and stared at the monstrous contraption that sent her deep into the heart of the bastards who had stolen her son. Like staring at it would bring her back. He had tried that at least seven times, just in case.

“You want somethin’ to eat?”

The old woman had reappeared again, lingering at his side. He could smell the radstag on the fire, now that he paid attention.

“All the nutrition I need, I already got right here.” He took another drag on his cigarette for emphasis.

“Oh, sure, that’s nutritious. You’re not doing any good, you know. Stalking around like a feral on the prowl.” He stiffened but made no comment. “She’ll be back. I promise ya.”

He had nothing against the woman; in fact he quite enjoyed her company when they stayed in Sanctuary. But right now she was winding him up even further when all he wanted was to be left alone.

“Look, I don’t need you to-“

A blinding flash of light caught them both off guard. Instinctually, Hancock stepped in front of the woman to protect her from whatever might be joining them, drawing his knife from against his back. He wished he hadn’t put down his trusty shotgun. At least the light had drawn the attention of other, better armed settlers. The light faded abruptly and it took a moment for his eyes to adjust.. but what he saw very nearly made him drop his knife.

“Nora!”

She swayed on her feet and almost fell into his arms, though he was sure she would not collapse. His Nora would never collapse.  At least, not in public. She still held on to the importance of public image that was so strong in pre-war times.

“I gotcha..” He pulled her close against his chest and his heart nearly broke when she buried her face against him.

He could hear Preston behind him, waving away the onlookers, echoed by Sturges. “Nothing to see here, folks! Let’s get that dinner on the go!”

A quick scan told him that she was all in one piece so he turned to walk her into one of the houses. Her old house. It had taken her several weeks to even set foot in the house, but once everybody had been moved out to the Castle and she had started to move on with this new life of hers, she had braved it. He had been there every step of the way and it had sort of become their house whenever they stayed. Their cot was located in what was once the kitchen, surrounded by a few other bits of furniture that they had hobbled together. He helped her to sit down.

She hadn’t said a word and he was beginning to worry a little. She was never lost for words, whether they be sarcastic comebacks or comforting encouragement. She wouldn’t even look at him. She stared at the floor, so lost in her own mind that he wondered if she even knew where she was.

“Do you need anything, love? Anything at all? You know, I’m quite a crafty ghoul. You know I’ve got all sorts of things in this coat of mine.” He patted his trusty red frock coat and caught the ghost of a smile on her lips. Then those brown eyes slid to his and the smile was gone.

“Do you wanna talk about it?”

“I found him.” Those three words made his heart lurch – a very different three words that had caused it the first time – but the effect was similar.

“Shaun?”

“Yeah. He was there, waiting for me.” Her gaze dropped again, looking at her hands. At her wedding ring.

“How come you didn’t.. bring him back?” Everything they had done was to get her son back. She had brought so many people together, helped so many, saved so many. But the goal was ultimately to find her son.

“He doesn’t want to be here. In this.. shitty wasteland.” She waved a hand around them.

“Hey, I happen to live in this shitty wasteland.” His comment didn’t get the reaction he had hoped for. Then it sank in. “Wait, he wants to stay? But the Institute kidnapped him. Doesn’t a kid wanna be with his Mother?”

“He doesn’t need his Mother anymore. He’s an adult. Sixty something, white hair and everything. He was taken sixty years ago. I missed everything, all of it. His first word, his first steps.”

What the hell was he supposed to say to that? He couldn’t imagine the horror of losing a child. He had seen what it did to Nora. But to then find that child and realise that you missed _all of it_?

“Shit..” He rasped.

“Yeah, shit.”

The silence was unnerving, he didn’t like it. He had never liked silence; he always wanted to be on the move. Nora was always on the move. He took her hand and entwined their fingers. A rough thumb stroked over the back of her hand.

“You know, my offer still stands. Did you need anything?”

“Do you have anything that isn’t in a syringe or tablet form?”

He laughed and stood up For a moment he considered playing the wounded party, but right now he just wanted to make sure she was okay. “Course I do. Take a seat at the table; let me take good care of you. Then we can rest and formulate a plan of action. I’m sure you took something away from this meeting?”

“Yeah, I did. But can we leave it until morning?”

“Of course, love. Anything.” He promised with a wink.

People knew better than to bother him for information as he walked to the main building to get some food. They just watched him from their seats and whispered behind his back, wondering what was going on with the woman who had saved their lives. They would find out soon enough. He ignored them and grabbed a plate. He piled it high with radstag and grabbed two cans of good water.

“She okay?” He glanced over his shoulder at the minute man and nodded.

“Okay enough. She’ll be more open to talking in the morning.” He tucked the cans under his arm and rooted around out back for a bottle of something stronger. “Vodka, nice..”

“That bad?”

He shrugged his shoulders, hat slipping a little on his head. “Just in case.”

“Then, here.”

Preston was holding a plastic tray on which he had piled a few things. Some grilled corn, a box of potato crisps and some cigarettes. Hancock grinned and unloaded his own food onto the tray, careful not to drop the vodka as it exchanged hands.

“Thanks, brother.”

“Take care of her. “ He called after the ghoul, who smiled to himself.

Nora had moved to the armchair which was pulled up close to the table and was fiddling with her pip boy. He grinned and presented his feast to her with a flourish. “Tadaa! Tender loving care, a la Hancock.”

She laughed, a sound he had missed in only a few hours. “How many people are you planning to feed? Hiding a small army in here?”

She picked up the bottle of vodka and looked at him, eyebrow raised.

“What?” He spread his hands and dropped into the opposite chair – an old lawn chair. “I thought you might want a swig.”

“Tender loving care, a la Hancock..” She repeated to herself but he couldn’t miss that smile on her face.

“Hey, I try. Now hurry up, your corn is getting cold. This is for dessert.” He grabbed the bottle and took a swig, giving her a cheeky grin at her look of outrage. “Never said it was my dessert.”


End file.
